4 Surprising Uses for Online Project Management Software

Your company can reap many advantages from using online project management software tools. However, it can understandably feel somewhat challenging to take on the initial commitment of learning a new type of project management software system and then training employees to do likewise. However, once you begin to understand just how powerful these online software tools are and what they have to offer, you may find your motivation to introduce online software for project management into your company increases. If you want a more organized, efficient, effective and engaged workforce, consider the following advantages of implementing online project management software.

Simply put, online project management software replaces the need for traditional desktop-based tools, like Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Rather than enduring the hassle of installing and updating desktop software onto each employee’s computer, now the responsibility for hosting and maintaining the software is transferred online. So instead of hard-drive-based software, you now have web based project management software that all employees can access from their individual browsers, no matter where they are. Some of the many advantages of these newer online project management tools include the following:

Cheaper. Online project management software is often cheaper than buying desktop versions of the same. As well, the software is commonly free for smaller teams and non-profits.

Faster. Because there are no delays from software updates or data transfer issues, using online software is faster than its desktop counterpart.

No updates. Since the software is maintained online, there is no need to perform expensive and time-consuming software updates from your company’s end.

Real-time updates regardless of time zone or time of day. With online software, team members can work from anywhere in the world and the system will instantly update the project folder with their changes.

User-friendly for any “smart” device with an Internet browser. Online software eliminates the issues of operating system or software version incompatibility since all any team member needs is a browser and Internet connection.

Calendar and contact sharing. Now team members can share important contacts and calendar deadlines with the entire team at one time.

Time tracking. If your company tracks time by project or task, online software can make this easy. You can also track timeliness of task completion.

The 4 Little-Known Uses for Online Project Management Software

1. Effortlessly Track Project Edits

As each project progresses, the online software allows each participant to track project edits by signing up for automated alerts and/or logging into the online portal. As well, since the software itself is also responsible for keeping all data and comments backed up, no participant has to worry about compromising the whole team’s data for the project just in case the unthinkable were to happen to their personal machine.

2. Send Out Automated Alerts

Online project management software allows each user to receive alerts any time something in the online folder for that project has changed. So if a new assignment is added, an existing assignment is modified or deleted, a participant is assigned a new task or any other action is taken, the software will issue an automatic alert to let all project participants know of the changes.

3. Create and Reuse Project Templates

If you have identical or similar projects you do regularly, you can create and reuse project templates to cut down on the time spent formatting any particular project. Rather than starting over from scratch, you can use the online project management software system to simply copy an existing project and rename it when you begin a new similar project.

4. Keep All Conversations Documented in One Location

Companies often outsource various job functions to different team members in different locations. With online project management software, each time a participant adds comments or updates a document related to a particular project, the entire team receives that information.

Given the advantages — both well-known and little-known — it’s easy to see why so many companies are transferring their project management function away from desktop-based applications to online software instead.

About the Author: Brian Denten is the Marketing Associate for WorkZone. He recommends businesses both large and small request a personal demo free of charge to see what a difference online project management software can make.